Knock-down stand



A ril 27, 1965 D. A. M cowAN KNOCK-DOWN STAND Filed Oct. 1'7, 1963 FIG.2

. ATTORNE S 7% N A W O C c RM mA N m m mD I'll/l/IllIl I United StatesPatent Ofilice 3,180,288 Patented Apr. 27, 19 65 3,180,288 KNOCK-DOWNSTAND David A. McCowau, 56 Douglas Drive, Toronto, Ontario, Canada FiledOct. 17, 1963, Ser. No. 316,838 4 Claims. (Cl. 108-101) This inventionrelates to a knock-down stand, and in particular to a knock-down standhaving a number of vertically spaced-apart platforms with separablesupporting columns.

The main object of the invention is to provide a reasonably sturdy standof attractive appearance which may be quickly erected and which also maybe quickly dismantled.

, The foregoing and still further objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a three-platform stand embodying theinvention; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the upperrighthand portion of the stand of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, a knock-down stand comprises an assembly ofplatforms 10, preferably of sheet metal which are spaced by slender,vertical supporting columns or spacing legs 11 coupled to the platformsat junction elements 12 provided adjacent each corner of the platforms.

The platforms preferably are rectangular, and each has a smooth planarupper surface 13 and downwardly extending flanges which provide sidewalls 14 and end walls 15. The upper surface 13 can be corrugated (notshown) to increase the rigidity of the platform; other well knownreinforcing means can likewise be used to stifien the platform whendesired.

Each junction element 12 consists of a channel-like member preferably ofmetal having a pair of opposed spaced apart flanges 17 and 18 which arejoined by a web 16. The web 16 of each junction element is spotwelded toan end wall of the platform near a corner, and each platform has at eachcorner a rectangular opening 19 which exposes from above the flange 17of a junction element. Each platform has an open bottom and consequentlythe flange 18 is exposed from below.

Two circular openings are provided in each flange of the junctionelements, the openings in one flange being aligned with the openings inthe other flange, each set of aligned openings constituting a pair ofopenings. More specifically, the flange 17 has a relatively largecircular opening 20 and a relatively small circular opening 21. Theflange 18 has a circular opening 22 aligned with the larger circularopening 20 of the flange 17 and of the same diameter as the smallercircular opening 21; the flange 18 also has a circular opening 23aligned with the smaller circular opening 22 of the flange 17 and of thesame diameter as the larger circular opening 20.

The supporting columns 11 consist of identical slender steel tubes, eachhaving tapered upper and lower end portions 11a and 11b; the tapered endportions are formed by swaging the steel tubes in a known manner. Thepairs of openings in the junction elements are so proportioned to eachother and to the tapered end portions of the supporting columns thatwhen the tapered end portions are inserted into the openings they areheld therein in wedging engagement and are firmly but removably coupledto the platform.

The junction elements are of two different types and for convenience,they are denoted righthand and lefthand, one type being the mirror imageof the other, i.e.,

the position of the openings in the lefthand type is the reverse of thatof the openings in the righthand type. Thus, as an examination of FIG. 2will show, the junction elements which are coupled to the two ends ofthe same supporting column are of opposite hand. 7 v

For symmetry, junction elements of the same hand are located near oneside wall of the platform and junction elements of the opposite hand arelocated near the opposite side wall of the platform. Adjacent platformshave junction elements of opposite hand. If the junction elements arepermanently secured to the platforms, it follows that the platforms arealso of two types, and it is necessary to alternate the two types ofplatforms when erecting the stand.

Preferably a knock-down stand constructed in accordance with theinvention comprises a lowermost platform, one or more intermediateplatforms and an uppermost platform. It will be observed that all of thesupporting columns 11 are similar to each other, with the exception 7 ofthe columns or legs 2 which support the lowermost platform. The upperends of the legs 24 have the same taper as the ends of the othercolumns, but their lower ends need not be tapered; preferably,protective feet 25 are secured to the lower ends of the legs 24'.

To assemble the stand, the legs 24- are inserted into the appropriateopenings of a first platform selected to be the lowermost platform ofthe stand, and the legs are pressed in place so that they are held infirm wedging engagement. Four supporting columns are then inserted inthe remaining openings of each junction element of the first platform;they extend upwardly therefrom. A second platform is then placeddirectly above the first platform and lowered so that the tapered upperends of the columns below are inserted into the appropriate openings ofthe junction elements of the second platform. These steps can berepeated with additional platforms, and in this manner a stand of anydesired height can be quickly erected; the stand can be dismantled justas quickly.

It will be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is a preferred example and that various modifications can becarried out without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A knock-down stand comprising an assembly of spaceda-apart platforms,each platform having a plurality of junction elements, supportingcolumns providing spacing legs for the platforms and having tapered endportions, each junction element having a Web and a pair of opposedspaced-apart flanges joined by the web, each flange having two openingswhich [are aligned with openings in the opposed flange, each set ofaligned openings constituting a pair of openings, one pair of openingsin a junction element being adapted to receive the tapered upper endportion of a supporting column extending downwardly therefrom and theother pair of openings in the said junction element being adaptedtoreceive the tapered lower end portion of a supporting column extendingupwardly therefrom, the openings of each pair being so proportioned toeach other and to the tapered end portions of the supporting columnsthat when the tapered end portions are inserted into a pair of openingsthey are held therein in wedging engagement and firmly but removablycoupled to the platform.

2. The invention claimed in claim 1 wherein the tapered end portions ofthe supporting columns are substantially conical in shape and whereinthe openings in the flanges are circular.

3. A knock-down stand comprising an assembly of generally rectangularspaced-apart platforms including a lowermost platform, at least oneintermediate platform,

and an uppermost platform, the platforms having a junction elementadjacent each corner, supporting columns providing spacing legs for theplatforms and having tapered end portions, each junction element havinga Web and a pair of opposed spaced-apart flanges joined by the web, eachflange having two openings which are aligned with openings in theopposed flange, each set of aligned openings constituting a pair ofopenings, one pair of openings in each junction element of anintermediate platform being adapted to receive the tapered upper endportion of a supporting column extending from the platform next adjacentbelow, and the other pair of openings being adapted to receive thetapered lower end portion of a supporting column extending to theplatform next adjacent above, the openings of each pair being soproportioned to each other and to the tapered end portions of thesupporting columns that when the tapered end portions are inserted intothe openings they are held therein in wedging engagement and are firmlybut removably coupled to the platform.

4. The invention claimed in claim 3 wherein the downwardly extendingcolumns from the lowermost platform constitute legs for the stand.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FRANKB. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

1. A KNOCK-DOWN STAND COMPRISING AN ASSEMBLY OF SPACED-APART PLATFORMS,EACH PLATFORMS HAVING A PLURALITY OF JUCTION ELEMENTS, SUPPORTINGCOLUMNS PROVIDING SPACING LEGS FOR THE PLATFORMS AND HAVING TAPERED ENDPORTIONS, EACH JUCTION ELEMENT HAVING A WEB AND A PAIR OF OPPOSEDSPACED-APART FLANGES JOINED BY THE WEB, EACH FLANGE HAVING TWO OPENINGSWHICH AR E ALIGNED WITH OPENINGS IN THE OPPOSED FLANGE, EACH SET OFALIGNED OPENINGS CONSTITUTING A PAIR OF OPENINGS, ONE PAIR OF OPENINGSIN A JUNCTION ELEMENT BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE TAPERED UPPER ENDPORTION OF A SUPPORTING COLUMN EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM AND THEOTHER PAIR OF OPENINGS IN THE SAID JUNCTION ELEMENT BEING ADAPTED TORECEIVE THE TAPERED LOWER END PORTION OF A SUPPORTING COLUMN EXTENDINGUPWARDLY THEREFROM, THE OPENINGS OF SAID PAIR BEING SO